title: The role of CT body scans in the investigation of patients with newly diagnosed brain tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the UK approximately 4000 patients are diagnosed with brain tumours each year. Many patients undergo CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis as part of the investigation of such tumours. We aimed to determine the value of CT body scans in patients with newly diagnosed brain tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the minutes of our neuro-oncology multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings over a 12-month period to identify patients with a new radiological diagnosis of a brain tumour. Patients were divided into groups based on radiological diagnosis. Histology results were obtained for patients who underwent surgery. Results of CT body scans were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 261 patients were identified. Sixty percent had radiological primary brain tumours and 40% had secondary brain tumours. Concordance between radiological and histological diagnoses was high (97% for radiological primary brain tumours, and 83% for radiological secondary brain tumours). CT body scans demonstrated primary lesions in 90% of radiological secondary brain tumours. Thirty-four percent of patients with a radiological diagnosis of primary brain tumour underwent CT body scans. The majority of these scans were normal (78%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability of a specialist neuro-oncology MDT to correctly identify primary and secondary brain tumours on initial imaging is high. If the radiological diagnosis is of a secondary brain tumour, then CT body scans are essential. If the radiological diagnosis is of a primary brain tumour, then CT scans of the body are likely to add little to patient management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre , Salford , UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Anjum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kamaly-Asl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CT scan; brain tumours; glioblastoma multiforme; histology